Luton Town's Youth Development Programme has a great record of producing great footballing talents. Matthew Upson and Curtis Davies are currently in the England squad, and Matthew Taylor, Emerson Boyce & Jack Wiltshire are playing in the Premier League.

The development of young potential is overseen by Youth Team Coach Alan Neilson and Youth Development Officer Gregg Broughton.

Overview

Luton Town's Youth Development Programme works with over 1000 players each season:

In providing coaching, guidance and advice of an exemplary standard and through a holistic approach it is hoped that as many as possible of these young players will realise their full potential.

The desire of all the staff within the Youth Department is that the players under our guidance will develop a sense of personal values which will provide them with far greater self esteem. This in turn should encourage confidence in their own ability and produce high levels of motivation, not only in football but also in their overall studies. The development of such positive attitudes and awareness of their responsibilities will extend not only to football but to society in general.

Luton Town Football Club recognise that football is very much a community activity and that in the UK it embraces all strata of society. With this in mind our Youth Department will be focused on that responsibility which we have towards the public in general. Our commitment both to the local community and the region as a whole will manifest itself in the promotion of and the adherence to the highest standards of behaviour and the manner in which we pursue our responsibilities and execute our duties. Such standards will be applicable to both players and staff.

To ensure that these high standards are maintained by the coaching, staff In Service Training Schemes and performance evaluation will be an integral part of our overall policy. This coupled with close liaison with parents/guardians and the players themselves will provide a basis from which it is hoped that all our charges will progress in a secure, encouraging and structured environment.

By our adherence to such high standards we believe that we will be providing the sporting community as a whole with worthy contributors who will enrich our nations sporting and social scene.

To achieve this, Luton Town have identified 5 key areas that go towards developing a sound policy which produces young players of the required standard. We refer to those key areas as The 5 Pillars which are broken down as follows:

1) Recruitment

2) Environment

3) Pathways and Opportunities

4) Coaching

5) Holistic Support

Our vision for the Luton Town Youth Development Programme is to develop the 5 Pillars and achieve status as the best Youth Development Programme in the Football League.

The Best Recruitment

John Doyle is employed as the Recruitment Officer, and manages the 25 part time scouts working with Luton Town. Working alongside John is Stuart English, who is employed by the Community Trust to run the regional TIPS development centres and the Performance Centre.

The scouting system and development centres are monitored and measured on a weekly basis. Measures include constant review of the number and quality of player that the Youth Development Programme receive from inside and outside the borough of Luton. It is vital that Luton Town continues to receive a high standard of new and raw talent enabling us to develop quality home grown players.

In order to assist in the ongoing improvement in the quality of the scouting network, scouts sign a bonus incentive scheme, and receive In-service training relating to Talent Identification.

Every trialist that attends our Centre of Excellence program is given every opportunity to succeed and the coaches have been made aware of the care required to make players feel welcome during their trial period. This ensures their time at Luton Town is a positive experience in what can be a very challenging environment.

To improve communication and build relationships, all clubs are given written confirmation of any player we approach, with documented feedback given to the player whether it is a positive or negative decision.

As part the recruitment strategy a community project called 'Our Goal' has been implemented. The objective of 'Our Goal' was to promote an improvement in local relationships with our community, including local clubs, schools and an increasing involvement from our supporters in order to further our ability to spot new talent.

For our local clubs we set up the Luton Town partnership Club Scheme, and are currently in discussion with school teachers to set up a similar School Partnership project.

The Best Environment

Youth Team scholars

The Youth Team train at the first team training ground at Ely Way, Luton. This has provided a home for our senior football requirements in an environment which subsequently allows the Youth trainees to sample the life of a professional and develop in the appropriate environment.

We have the use of 2 pitches for training and are able to host our Saturday home games program for the Youth team and Under 16 schoolboy teams. There are changing rooms, shower facilities, a gym, a medical room, a classroom and a canteen to provide the facilities required. Most importantly there is no limitation on time as Luton Town have exclusive use, and can also organise private meetings with players and parents as part of our managed individual development program.

The Schoolboys

The U9's to U16's train on a brand new 3^rd Generation Rubber Crumb state of the art surface at The Arena in Baldock.

The overall quality of the playing pitch and facility is outstanding and could match and exceed many top Academy training venues. The comfort afforded to the parents with a relaxing lounge, food and drink, and Sky television on cold nights, ensures that everyone is looked after.

This facility has enhanced player development and encouraged young players to look at Luton Town as a positive option. We have exclusive use on a Tuesday and Thursday evening and are able to coach in a very realistic playing environment which has also presented us with options to use additional learning tools for the boys and coaches. E.g. DVD match and training analysis.

We also have a dedicated medical room where our youth physiotherapist team can manage and promote the player's physiological development, injury treatment and rehabilitation programs.

Our Under 9 to Under 14 Sunday games programme is based out of the University of Bedfordshire in Bedford. This facility provides fantastic playing surfaces, changing rooms and parents facilities.

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Physiological Development

We have a good relationship with Dunstable College and have the use of a brand new gym and spa at the College for our Scholars. We are able to get sole use of this facility allowing our players to work and develop physically with our Sports Science team at the club. The players are also able to enjoy a spa and massage day at the hands of the college students at certain intervals, which helps to protect their developing bodies professionally, making it a very important part of the development program. Players are learning how to look after, maintain and protect their bodies with positive effect in order to meet the demands of the present day's game.

The players bodies are their tools of the trade and over the next 10-15 years will be put under a lot of stresses and demands if they are to progress and play at the highest level possible. They will have to make sacrifices and continue to show good habits even when they move from the Youth team to the professional ranks. Rest is just as important as work, and both go hand in hand to maintain their physiological development.

External Development

Luton Town's determination to continue to create and increase a learning environment has also been extended to include young referees who oversee our Under 9 to Under 16 games program. With the assistance of Chris Checketts, Bedfordshire FA Referees Development Officer, we are able to assist the game by allowing young referees to learn their trade in a professional and disciplined environment. The young referees are monitored at each game and developed in much the same way as our players. This has added to the learning environment, has been enthusiastically received and has also been a very positive move in assisting our community and improving relations.

The Best Pathways and Opportunities

We are great believers in fast tracking players and removing them from comfort zones. Every player from 8 to 18 know that if they do well and show that they can physically cope, they will be rewarded and pushed up to the next age group to stretch their boundaries, and even beyond depending on the individual.

The first team manager's policy on the including young players into the first team has a very positive effect on the players coming through the system. The positive mentality to include young players, provides a major selling point for us and sparks the young players as they strive to obtain a career. It also allows us to attract players, knowing that they will have a good chance of progressing at Luton Town.

We also believe that we have a duty to look after the many players who do not quite reach the level that we are looking for. We have in place many exit routes for all of these players to continue in their development. Some may go on to other Clubs, colleges or even a scholarship in America. Luton Town believe that it is our duty to not only care about those who have made the grade but also the majority of those who do not.

The Best Coaching

Luton Town have an incredibly strong group of coaches working with our young teams. All full-time coaches are qualified to UEFA A Licence with part-time coaches holding the UEFA B Licence. The coaches are assisted by a group of specialist technical and physiological coaches ensuring that our players are given the best possible opportunity to progress.

Coaching Syllabus

Luton Town have developed a coaching syllabus that will help develop our players technically, tactically, physically and mentally. The training timetable and syllabus tests players and coaches alike. The improvement in all our players is there for everyone to see and is measured through six monthly assessment reports.

All coaches are clear on the coaching requirements which are age and position specific. All sessions are planned and aligned with the syllabus, allowing us to reach short, mid and long term goals. We ask the coaches to plan and detail their sessions so that they can build in individual development, recognising different needs from each player in the group.

The syllabus is broken down to specific but balanced areas of development and incorporates the management of concentration spans specific to each age group and individual player's needs. With every coach producing a session plan we are able to develop our own coaching library at Luton Town.

In addition to the U9's to U16's, the youth team also have a timetable and syllabus to work to. This allows us to spend much more time coaching, increasing contact time to improve techniques and understanding. As with the younger groups the syllabus has really tested the youth team and enables recruitment to be more selective with an ever improving end product.

Those that cope and rise to the challenge will have a greater chance of becoming a professional footballer at Luton Town.

Measuring Player Development

Working from the syllabus Luton Town give every player two reports for the season. These reports give the players a detailed breakdown on what is required at each level.Once they have received their reports, the player and parents have the opportunity to attend a one to one meeting with their coach to discuss the report and set new targets.

In addition, our U16 and U18 teams receive a detailed position specific written report after every game. This allows the players to reflect on their performance, and discuss future development requirements. Every player is encouraged to approach the coach to discuss the report, which ultimately assists each player to take responsibility for their own performance and development.

Luton Town allow our players to express their opinions and we must encourage feedback both ways. This is a great way of developing players, allowing them to take responsibility for their game and specifically their performance.

The Best Holistic Support

Luton Tonwn believe that you have to improve a player on the pitch, but also understand that it is also our job to develop him off the pitch in order to meet the demands of the game today at the highest level.

Ottilie Morgan is employed as the full time youth physiotherapist and she has full responsibility for the physiotherapy department, looking after the U9's to U18's. Not only do we assess a player, we also get them back to match fitness with a measured rehabilitation program. We have an injury clinic at every training night and cover all our games home or away.

There is a homework programme, including development on SAQ, flexibility, diet, nutrition, conditioning technical development. This is a great learning tool which also allows us to see how much time they spend on their football, homework and relaxation.

Luton Town look to develop good working relationships with all of our player's schools. Player's football reports are sent to their schools and in return we ask that the school sends us anything that may assist us in gaining a better understanding of each individual.

We also seek permission from schools for our U15's and 16's to get a one day release from school to come in and train with the scholars.